The musings of a poet, blogger, activist and social and political commentator with a 35 year history of depression. Always outspoken, always controversial, sometimes dark, sometimes humourous.
Meditations From The Abyss is a proud member of the My Blogworld Forum on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/myblogworld/).

Friday, 26 May 2017

I am a
great fan of the Phantasm movies so I
have been looking forward to the release of the final movie in the series, Phantasm: Ravager, especially as it the
last movie of Tall Man actor Angus Scrimm who died during the post-production
process.

I was scanning
a magazine when I noticed that a new box set was being released containing all
five movies so I thought I’d go along to my local HMV store to see when it was
due for release and how much the DVD of Phantasm:
Ravager costs.Imagine my surprise when
I saw the complete movie series box set on the shelf but couldn’t find the
individual release of the movie.Upon
making enquiries, I found that not only is Phantasm:
Ravager not available on its own but that the box set is only available on
Blu-Ray. This is a serious problem for
those of us who don’t have Blu-Ray players or the money to buy one and fans of
the Phantasm series who may have the
first four movies already and are unwilling (due to the cost of a box set containing
four movies they’ve already got) or unable to buy the box set (because they don’t
have the relevant player or the money to purchase the set).

Below
is the text of an e-mail conversation I have started with the Customer Service
department at Arrow Films who have released this new box set.It gives more detail to my arguments that
would be pointless to repeat here in this introductory section.

Subject: Phantasm V: Ravager

Could you tell me if Phantasm V: Ravager will
be available separately and in the DVD format?I only ask as I am a fan of the series and would like to complete the
story arc (I already have the first four films) and only have a DVD cinema
system and no money to purchase a Blu-Ray player.I'm sure I'm not the only one in this
situation.

Regards,

Myles Cook

Hi Myles,

Thank you for your email. There’s nothing
confirmed on this at the moment as we’re concentrating on the Limited Edition
release but it could be a possibility further down the line.

Kind regards,

Anthony Newcomb

Customer Service Supervisor

Hi Anthony,

Surely a release of the fifth film on its own
as the box set of the series came out would follow the market lead of
individual releases of films with its inclusion in a box set?I understand that your company didn't release
the previous films (or at least not to my knowledge) but an individual release
for this film would increase your sales amongst the people who have already got
the previous films in the series and who are unwilling or unable to purchase an
expensive box set (especially as the box set seems to be only available in
Blu-Ray which is a platform that not everyone has yet due to the expense of
Blu-Ray players).An individual release
of this film would be a sound marketing move on Arrow Films' part and to make
it available on DVD (which is still the dominant platform with regards to
sales) would likewise be a sound move.

I have noticed that there are many films
being released by your company on Blu-Ray only, some of them are films I would
willingly purchase despite already having them already because I admire Arrow's
loving attention to its releases; however, by only releasing some movies in
Blu-Ray format, you risk alienating some of your most ardent supporters who
only have DVD systems and reducing your profitability by ignoring the presently
dominant platform with regards to sales.

I really am on Arrow's side because of your
genuine respect for the films you release.I just wish your respect extended to your customers and their needs.

Friday, 12 May 2017

Below
is the text of a letter I wrote to the Thurrock Gazette, my local news
rag.It followed a number of weeks in
which my local MP not only had her own column but was given vital column space
in the reader’s letters page.I sent it
on the 27th April and it was never published so I offer it here for your
entertainment (and for my MP’s team of lackeys to read and report back to their
paymaster as I know they are keen readers of my blog).

I have just read the reader's letters in this
week's Gazette (27th April) and seen yet another letter from Jackie
Doyle-Price.I don't know how other
readers feel but I think that this is outrageous as JD-P already has a regular
rant column in your paper and she can make her views known in news items.

The reader's letters page should be for the
voices that don't get heard in any other way, not just another avenue for JD-P
to peddle her lies and excuses for failing the constituents she is supposed to
represent.

I have
been told in the past that the controlling interest in the newspaper group that
owns the Thurrock Gazette is Right-wing politically (I was actually told Tory
but one must be open minded on these things) so as JD-P is a Tory MP perhaps
that’s the reason it hasn’t been published. Where has freedom of speech gone in the UK?